WBEZ | korean warhttp://www.wbez.org/tags/korean-war
Latest from WBEZ Chicago Public RadioenChicago greets the Generalhttp://www.wbez.org/blogs/john-r-schmidt/2013-04/chicago-greets-general-106775
<p><p>It was the biggest celebration of a single person Chicago had ever seen. Over 3 million people lined the city&rsquo;s streets. The date was April 26, 1951.</p><p>After 14 years on foreign soil, Douglas MacArthur was back in the United States. America&rsquo;s General had returned. And the city went wild.</p><div class="image-insert-image "><img alt="" class="image-original_image" src="http://www.wbez.org/system/files/styles/original_image/llo/insert-images/04-26--Tribune%20Cartoon_0.jpg" style="width: 315px; height: 343px; float: right;" title="One view of MacArthur's visit ('Chicago Tribune'--April 26, 1951)" /></div><div class="image-insert-image ">MacArthur was a national hero.&nbsp;He led U.S. forces to victory in the Pacific during World War II.&nbsp;When the Korean&nbsp;War broke out, he had turned back the enemy advance at Inchon.&nbsp;</div><div class="image-insert-image ">&nbsp;</div><div class="image-insert-image ">But now that war had become a stalemate. MacArthur thought President Truman was being too cautious.&nbsp;When the general&rsquo;s views became public, the president relieved him.&nbsp;</div><div class="image-insert-image ">&nbsp;</div><div class="image-insert-image ">That created a sensation.&nbsp;Truman was a very unpopular president in 1951. Most of the country thought he&rsquo;d made a mistake sacking MacArthur.</div><div class="image-insert-image ">&nbsp;</div><div class="image-insert-image ">The general had gone to Washington to deliver&nbsp;his report to Congress. Now, with his wife and young son, he was making a triumphal progress across America.&nbsp;</div><div class="image-insert-image ">&nbsp;</div><div class="image-insert-image ">MacArthur&#39;s plane touched down at Midway a little after noon on April 26.&nbsp;City officials greeted him, then he was off in a motorcade to downtown.&nbsp;A long, meandering route was used, so that the maximum number of people could witness the general&rsquo;s passage.&nbsp;</div><div class="image-insert-image ">&nbsp;</div><div class="image-insert-image ">The main event was an evening reception at Soldier Field.&nbsp;The crowds began gathering at 5:30, three hours before the general was to arrive.&nbsp;While they waited, they were entertained by drum and bugle corps, color guards, marching units, and military bands.&nbsp;Veterans&rsquo; groups and ROTC squads dominated the proceedings.&nbsp;</div><div class="image-insert-image ">&nbsp;</div><div class="image-insert-image ">As the skies darkened, the beacon atop the Palmolive Building&ndash;two miles away&ndash;was focused on the field.&nbsp;Finally, MacArthur made his entrance.&nbsp;The assembled throng cheered.&nbsp; He acknowledged the greeting, then spoke.</div><div class="image-insert-image "><div class="image-insert-image "><img alt="" class="image-original_image" src="http://www.wbez.org/system/files/styles/original_image/llo/insert-images/04-26--Soldier%20Field%20%28State%20Dept%29.jpg" title="MacArthur speaking at Soldier Field (U.S. State Department photo)" /></div></div><p>The general called for a realistic end to the Korean conflict, with a minimum loss of American life.&nbsp;He said the U.S. had no clear war policy. In case anyone doubted what he thought, he said&nbsp;that our goal should be &ldquo;victory over the nation and men who, without provocation, have attacked us.&rdquo;</p><p>Applause interrupted him 19 times.&nbsp;Concluding, he declared:&nbsp;&rdquo;[Even] without command authority or responsibility, I still proudly possess the greatest of all honors and distinctions&ndash;I am an American!&rdquo;</p><p>The thousands rose to their feet and cheered again, long and loud. Then came the fireworks display.&nbsp;Then it was over.</p><p>The next morning MacArthur was gone.&nbsp;He left behind a dazed and dazzled Chicago.&nbsp;And in the long sweep of history&ndash;by his conflict with President Truman&ndash;he left behind a controversy that is still debated.</p></p>Fri, 26 Apr 2013 05:00:00 -0500http://www.wbez.org/blogs/john-r-schmidt/2013-04/chicago-greets-general-106775Burge wants lighter sentencehttp://www.wbez.org/story/commander-jon-burge/burge-wants-lighter-sentence
<img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://llnw.wbez.org/chicago squad car_gettyimages.JPG" alt="" /><p><p>A onetime Chicago Police commander convicted of lying about the torture of suspects contends he deserves a lighter prison sentence because of his service to this country.</p><p>In a recent filing, attorneys for Jon Burge cited his tours of duty in Korea and Vietnam in arguing that he deserves a break. Attorneys say Burge received the Bronze Star and other commendations while in the Army.</p><p>Burge was convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice based on his answers to questions during a lawsuit over claims that he and his officers tortured murder suspects.</p><p>The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Burge's attorneys contend he should get a break below the 15- to 21-month sentencing range recommended by the probation department. Prosecutors say he could get up to 30 years in prison.<br /><br />&nbsp;</p></p>Tue, 11 Jan 2011 15:38:00 -0600http://www.wbez.org/story/commander-jon-burge/burge-wants-lighter-sentence